Touring Israel with a tour guide

🦟The mosquito 🌸 It is particularly prevalent from April to October, when evenings are warm & water lingers in puddles, planters & streams. The good news? Nature does its bit too - 🦇 Bats, 🐸 frogs, 🐦 swallows, & 🐟 fish all help keep mosquito numbers down From the wetlands of the Hula Valley (once drained because of mosquito-borne malaria) to my own home town of Zichron Ya'akov 💡When you travel around Israelwith Imagine Israel Tours, here are some simple tips to stay comfortable outdoors: 🕓 Mosquitoes are most active at dusk & dawn 👕 Wear light, loose clothing 🧴 Use repellent if you’re near water or greenery• Apply insect repellent during dawn & dusk • Wear long, loose-fitting clothing when in nature reserves • Avoid stagnant water areas & use local advice Our tours blend history, culture & nature - even the smallest details matter. #ImagineIsraelTours #Galilee #simonostertourguideisrael #tourismisrael #NatureAwareness #TravelSmart #IsraelO...

🌸 Autumn Crocus (Crocus palaestinus) 📍Found across the Judean Hills, Galilee, Golan & northern Negev; favours open slopes & rocky, well-drained ground 🕒 Blooming period: October – December, timing depends on autumn rainfall. 📐 Size & form: Low-growing bulbous plant; single flowers appear before leaves, petals pale lilac with prominent orange stigmas. 🔬 Botanical note: Crocus palaestinus is one of several native crocus species in Israel; flowers emerge directly from corms after the dry season. 🌱 Ecological role: Early seasonal nectar source for insects & an indicator species of Mediterranean autumn rains. #ImagineIsraelTours #WildflowersOfIsrael #CrocusPalaestinus #AutumnCrocus #FloraOfIsrael #NatureInIsrael #MediterraneanFlora #IsraelNature #SeasonalBloom #BotanyIsrael #FloraAndFauna #SimonOsterTourGuideIsrael #IsraelTouring #VisitIsrael   At Imagine Israel Tours we love to notice not just the big moments of history, but also the small details of ...

The Striped Hyena (Hyaena hyaena) 🦡 Native to North & East Africa, the Middle East, the Caucasus, Central Asia & the Indian subcontinent, i n Israel, the Striped Hyena lives in dry valleys, rocky slopes & semi-desert areas - from the Negev to the Galilee. 📏 Recognizable by its sandy-grey coat with bold black stripes & a dramatic mane that rises when threatened, aeults stand about 60–80 cm tall & can weigh up to 40 kg. 🍽️ Primarily a scavenger feeding on carcasses & bones, it also eats fruit & insects. It is mostly nocturnal & is rarely seen by day. 📉 Listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN due to persecution & habitat loss. Yet it remains a vital part of the ecosystem, cleaning the land by consuming remains others leave behind. #simonostertourguideisrael #ImagineIsraelTours #StripedHyena #HyaenaHyaena #WildlifeOfIsrael #MiddleEastWildlife #floraAdFauna #Visitsrael #IsraelTouring #CarnivoreConservation #NatureFacts #EcosystemHealth #Near...

Capernaum – The Town of Jesus Capernaum, known in Hebrew as Kfar Nahum (“Village of Nahum”), is located on the north-western shore of the Sea of Galilee,  near Tabgha & the Mount of Beatitudes.  It is one of the most visited archaeological & biblical sites in northern Israel, attracting Christian pilgrims from around the world.  Capernaum was established in  (2nd century BCE)   flourishing through the Roman & Byzantine periods . Archaeological evidence shows it was a small fishing & agricultural village, home to around 1,500 residents .  The Christian Bible identifies Capernaum as a key centre of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee, (Matthew 4:13), & several important Gospel events are linked to Capernaum, including: The healing of the centurion’s servant (Matthew 8:5–13) The healing of Peter’s mother-in-law (Mark 1:29–31) The paralyzed man lowered through the roof (Mark 2:1–12) The teaching in the synagogue (John 6:35–59) The ...

The carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua)" 🌿 The carob thrives across much of Israel: in the Galilee, on the slopes of the Jerusalem hills, along the coastal plain & in semi-arid valleys. Its adaptability means it tolerates both rocky, chalky soils & coastal exposures. 📏 Mature carob trees typically reach heights of 10-15 m, with a broad, semi-spherical crown, a sturdy trunk & rough bark 🍂 The carob’s flowering season begins in autumn (September-November). The pods then take up to a full year to develop & ripen, with harvesting commonly in late summer into early autumn of the following year. The pods are thick, leathery-skinned legumes containing a sweet pulp & hard seeds. Its edible pods were used historically (and still are) for food-products & as fodder, today the seeds yield locust-bean gum used in food-industry processes. Jewish Sages taught that Honi the Circle Maker once met a man planting a carob tree. “When will it bear fruit?” asked Honi. “In 70 years...

🦎 The Mediterranean Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) 🌳 Best known for its colour-changing ability & long tongue, y ou’ll find it from the coastal plain to the Galilee hills, often in olive groves, shrubland or open woodland & even gardens. It prefers places where it can climb, hide & ambush its prey eg branches, bushes & low trees. 🍽️ It uses its long sticky tongue to catch insects like flies, crickets & beetles & sometimes even tiny lizards. It waits patiently, blends into the foliage & strikes with precision. ⚠️ Despite its camouflage, it faces danger from large birds, snakes & domestic cats. The bigger threats, however, are habitat loss, road traffic & collection for the pet trade, which reduce its numbers. #ImagineIsraelTours #SimonOsterTourGuideIsrael #FloraAndFauna #IsraelTourism #TouringIsrael #TourGuideIsrael #IsraeliWildlife #EcoIsrael #IsraelNature #MediterraneanEcosystem #WildlifeEducation #BiodiversityIsrael #ExploreIsrael...

The Egyptian Mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon) Fast as lightening when disturbed, the Egyptian mongoose is one of Israel’s most fascinating wild mammals. 🐾 🌍 In Israel, it roams across the coastal plains, Galilee, Carmel & Jordan Valley, thriving near watercourses, reedbeds & scrubland. It prefers areas rich in cover where it can move unseen, often close to farmland or woodland edges. 🍽️ It feeds on rodents, snakes, birds’ eggs, frogs, insects & fruit. It can raid hunt venomous snakes, making it one of nature’s finest pest-controllers. Sadly a mongoose attacked one of our neighbours' chickens a couple of months ago, leaving only one alive. 🦅 The mongoose has few natural enemies in Israel; large raptors & wild dogs pose some danger, but habitat loss & road accidents are its greatest threats today. 🌿 In ancient Egypt, it was revered for its snake-hunting skill & often linked to solar deities; a symbol of light conquering darkness. Its Hebrew name, נמייה מצרי...